Silent policeman



March is, 1924., mamas J. A. WATTS SILENT POLICEMAN Filed April 23. 1923 wings ATTORNEYS Y IN VEN TOR y Patented Mar.'.l8,' ,11924.

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vJOHN A.` WATTS, ormnron'n, PENNSYLVANIA.

" siLEN'r POLICEMAN."

Application iled April 23, 1923. `Serial No. 634,091.

' tion.

This invention relates in general to signal devices and more particularly to an iin-v` provement in street traffic indicating de Y vices of the type known as iron men or silent policemen and forming the subject-v matter of my prior Patent No. 1,267,021,-

dated May 21, 1918.

The object of the invention is to prof` 'vide a device of this character having all of the' advantagesv and capacities' of the construction forming the' subject-matter of my prior patent above referred to and wherein atthe same time all ofthe parts of the de-V vlce. are readily accessible and removable.

for purposes of adjustment, replacementand repair, wherein parts'of the device are adjustably mounted sothat' the desired position of thesignal thereof may be had at all times, and wherein thevflexible securing de'- vice is positively and securely fastened to {,)he lbracket utilized to mount it on the ase. Y

Other objects andadvantages of the invention reside incertain novel features of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter'more fully described and Aparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accom anying drawings forming part of this speci cation, and in which: v

Figure 1 .is a view, partly in section and p artly in elevation, showing the preferred embodiment of the invention; 'i

Figure 2 is a plan view of the base alone; Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view in enlarged vertical section on line 3`3 -of Figure 1. `v

Referring to the. drawings, the'numeral 10 designates a base member which comprises a hollow truncated cone constructed of cast iron or the like'. A legendbearing or signal device 11 is provided and is preferably of light sheet metal. The signal device 11 has its upper end rotatably mounted upon a longitudinally extending-'rigid member 14.' The lower en d of. the rlgid member 12 extends below they lower end of the Signal device 11 and is received in the upperend of a transversely flexible or yieldable supporting device 12. This 'supporting device 12 may 'comprise -one or more concentrically wound coil springs.

The .construction and arrangement thus far described is .identical with that shown in that the interiorcf the truncated cone conf stitutingthe base is made smooth inthe invention forming the subject-matter of this application whereas lugs were provided .my prior patent above referred -toexcept thereon in the invention forming the subv ject-matter' of the said patent'.

The present invention has to do particularly with the means for mounting the supporting device 12 .on the base member 10,' and for this purpose a bracket 16 is providedand preferably vcomprises a tubular member having one end open and provided with anoutwardly ,extending annular e iiange 17 and having its outer end closed by an end wall 1,8. The main portion of the tubular member includes a cylindrical section 19 constituting a socket and an enlargedorfflaring section of-frusto conical form which is designated at 20. hThe top of the base member '10 is formed fiat land 'smooth and is' arranged Vto lie in a plane parallel to the-bottom of the planeof this base member. In the assembly the flange17 rests on the iiat top of the base member and the bracket 16 depends into therspace defined and enclosed by the hollow base member` with the lower end wall 18 lying near *tothe bottom of the base member. The

lower-end ofthe coil spring constituting vthe iiexible supporting device 12 is fitted in'l the lsocket 19 of the bracket 16. The lowermost convolution of the coil spring con-l stituting the, flexible vsupporting -device 12 has a portion extended angularly or radially of the coil, as `indicated at 22, and the terminal end of such portion is then bent vor extended axially of the coil. spring," las indicated at 21. The axially extending terminale21 projects through an opening 23 provided in the end wall 18 of thefbracket 16. The extremity of the axially extended terminal 21 is externally threaded. and has a nut 24 engaged therewith, the nut 2 4: coacting with the'end wall 18 of the bracket and with the'externall threaded terminal 21 t0 :hold the lower en o f the coil spring constituting the supporting device 12 in its socket V19.v

los

For positivelysecuring the bracket 16 to the base member fastening devices, such as bolts 25, are employed, these bolts 25 passing through bolt holes in the flange 17 and being threaded into bolt holes or sockets rovided therefor in t-he top of the base 10. f course the heads of the bolts 25 engage the flange 17. These bolts also permit ot' adjustment of' the bracket on the base member so thatv the axis ofthe bracket and of the supporting device 12 and signal device 11 may be maintained in the vertical even though the base lie at a slight angle to the horizontal since any one or more of' the bolts 25v may be loosenedA and U-shaped or semi-circular shims inserted between thetlange 17 andthe topv of the base member 10.

With the device'thus constituted there is' provided a 'heavy' base havinga relatively large bottom and upwardly and' inwardly extending sides terminating in the relatively large opening in the top thereof. A base havvtorn of the base provides a very staple strucing these characteristics in conjunction with' a light signaling device 11 and means for mounting the lower end of the flexible supporting device 12 at a point close to the botture `notfliable to be overturned and well adapted towithstand. collision or the like'.

The provision of the enlarged section 20 on the bracket member 16 provides a clearance toaccommodate the movements of the transversely flexible supporting device 12, so that this supportingdevice will not enga-ge. the

base member adjacent the top thereof even when dellected .by virtue of the collision of a vehicle therewith. The positive and secure fastening or attachment of t-he transversely supporting member 12 to the bracket member 16 prevents disassociation of these parts. Moreover the bracket member and conse# uently the supporting device 12 and signal? ling device 11 may be readily taken from the base without lifting the base from the ground by simply removing the bolts 25 and lifting the bracket member from the base, the base being permitted to remain in posi# tion on the street or roadway. It is to be noted also that the base 15 defines an eliclosed and protected spaceinto which the bracket member 16 depends. l

claim A -l 1. In a device of the character described, a hollow base of rusto-conical form, a signal device, a transversely flexible supporting device connected to the signal device, and means for mounting the supporting device on the base including a tubular bracket mem- ,y

'ing a portion adapted to operate in the clearance providedy by the enlarged portion of said tubular bracket-member, and releasable fastening means for adjustably securing the flange to the top' ofthe base.

2. ln a device of the character described, a base adapted to rest on a roadway -or the like and having' a relatively large bottom and also having a relatively largeopening in the ,top thereof, said base defining' an enclosed space above the roadway, a signal device, a

coil spring having its upperportion connected to the signal device, and means for mounting the lower end of the coil spring on the base including a tubular bracket member removably secured to the top of .the base and depending into the space enclosed thereby, 4 the upper end of the tubular bracket member being open andthe lower end of the tubular bracketl member being closed, the lower'end of the coil spring-,being seated in'said bracket member and having its lower convolution inwardly extended, the terminal of the lower convolution being axially extended with respect to the coil spring, the lower closed end of the bracket member having an opening receiving said axially extending termina-l` and anut threadedon the terminal and engaged with the bracket member for holding the coil spring to the bracket member.

JOHN A. 'warrs; 

